As a former executive with a clinical counselling background, I found it natural to begin a coaching practice with Director and C-suite clients when I retired from full-time employment. Full disclosure: I don’t have a certificate in executive coaching nor, in my opinion, is one necessary to do this type of work. I believe that working with those in positions of authority is more of an art form than a technical process.

What is Executive Coaching? Executive coaches serve as confidential advisors and objective sounding boards for their clients. A coach can help a client better “see” the dynamic playing field of their workplace and those in it by offering a once-removed perspective on their situation. A coach also encourages the client to more clearly describe or articulate issues or concerns than would otherwise be the case. A well-described problem is one that’s already half solved and simplification can be a truly useful tool to begin exploring options and formulating next steps. Depending on the relationship, the coach may also help identify deeper psychological and/or personal issues that may be coloring the executive’s approach and attitudes. Whether or not the client chooses to actually address those issues is up to them. At this level, it’s more about relationships, communications and growth than strategic plans or deliverables though these naturally take up considerable “thought real estate” and dialogue time.

How is executive coaching different from mentoring? The boundaries between coaching and mentoring are muddy at best but, in my opinion, to be most effective and helpful to their mentees, mentors should be significantly more senior in the workplace hierarchy and actively engaged in the same or a similar organization or, at minimum, working in the same field or industry. Coaches are typically not actively involved in a client’s workplace and may or may not hold or have held a position senior to their clients. Retirees can, of course, be either or both.

Why it’s important work: As we all know, the decisions taken and the approach employed by executives have impacts many fold greater than those of more junior staff. What is less widely known, is that their roles, while more visible within their firms, can also be more tenuous. Careers can be made, diverted or cut short along with stock prices, mergers/acquisitions, changes in top management ranks, industry direction and the success or not of the latest big project. Self-awareness and balance becomes increasingly important and that’s where executive coaches provide value.

How does the client benefit? The real benefit of having an executive coach is that an insightful person who is not part of the client’s workplace hierarchy or professional network is available for meaningful discussion and can serve as a sounding board. The coach should have neither an axe to grind nor personal power to gain through the association. This clears the deck for honest dialogue and the surfacing of sensitive issues, the discovery of unexpected options or the development of solutions. It also makes it possible for the client to occasionally rant and blow off steam in a safe environment, tease apart the professional from the personal and/or consider various moves in the workplace game with a knowledgeable partner….someone who is absolutely on their side.

What you need to be a coach: A sensitive awareness and desire to support another, talent as an active listener; strong analytical ability and some expertise in both individual psychology and group dynamics at the leadership level is most useful. The work can be surprisingly complex and actually quite tough at times. It is imperative that the coach is able to speak truth to power and not to be intimidated by formal position or title. Ideally, the coach should be able to provide resources: relevant readings or referrals to other professionals for more specific needs. The coach does not have to be expert in the client’s professional field though it helps if he/she is familiar with its norms, stressors and even acronyms. The coach must have had experience working at the executive level. Communication is, after all, key and without experience at the executive level a meeting of the minds becomes much more difficult.

How to pick one: The relationship between coach and client is based on trust, honesty and both intellectual and, more importantly, values-based compatibility. Certification is totally optional….though you’d be wise to question qualifications based solely on those 2-day seminars advertised from time to time. Do consider and evaluate experience in the trenches and as part of the upper management ranks. Political and personal awareness and insight are useful along with some fluency with game theory and strategy. The real test is whether or not you think you’d be ok talking to this person for about an hour every week or every second week. If you, the client, think you can snow the coach – don’t engage this person. You’ll be tempted to do just that if a tough topic comes up that you’d rather avoid.

Bottom line: This relationship is just one more tool in the executive toolkit. It is typically and naturally used by those who prefer to talk through their issues rather than write them out or mull them over privately. It can be of value either on a short term basis to address a specific topic or add some stability to a particularly volatile period of time or it can be integrated as an on-going part of the executive’s support system. Bottom line – it’s useful and can be fun.